Description:Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus are very flat geophyte cactus that produce small star-shaped rosettes. They in most cases don't reach more than only a few centimetres above the ground. Although they can form clumps, often only a small disc of tubercles can be seen flat at the soil surface, however these plants grow a large tap root below the surface of the compost.Stem: Usually solitary, rarely giving rise to side shoots from old areoles, flattened on top, depressed centrally.Tubercles: The tubercles are deltoid dark olive green with no spines and lie flat on the soil surface. They are more long than wide, closely packed and divergent, sharply angled apically.Areoles: The tubecles forms a central longitudinal areolar groove extending to the tips on the adaxial surfaces of the tubercles, woolly, 1-3 mm wide, 5-10 mm long. Root: Each plant has a large turnip-like taproot, which lies below the soil surface and serves for water storage.Flowers: These plants have a woolly crown, from which emerge bright pink-violet flowers up to 2.5-5 cm, 2 times wider than long when fully expanded. Flowers are diurnal and last for 3 to 4 days. Blooming time: Mid-September onwards.Fruits: White or green with lots of seed.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus group

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus(Lem. ex K.Schum.) K.Schum.: Very flat geophyte cactus that produce small star-shaped rosettes. They in most cases don't reach more than only a few centimetres above the ground. The type species is intermediate between all the other forms and is to be found off highway 80, between El Huisache Junction and Santo Domingo.

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus f. cristatushort.: The crested form is and can get relatively large making a spectacular specimen. The appeal lies in the peculiarly-shaped tubercles plus the challenge of growing it successfully.

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus var. macdowellii(Backeb.) Krainz: This are the plants found in northern populations, they are smaller than the type, with small beak-like tubercles and pale mauve flowers, often with a high white content in the outer petals.

Cultivation and Propagation: The plants need deep pots to accommodate the napiform unit formed by the stem base and the rootstock , and a loose mineral soil with a well-drained substrate. They need a good amount of light. A place near the roof of the greenhouse helps, drying the pot after watering. This can be done weekly during the summertime, if the weather is sunny enough, with a little fertilizer added. Kept this way, plants will show a healthy, although slow growth. They are frost hardy to -10°C.

Propagation: By seeds, remembering that seedlings dislike strong light and dry conditions and need to be repotted frequently. Eventually, as they become mature, they attain a maximum size of 5 to 9 cm. But plants are often grafted to accelerate growth as they would generally take at least a decade to reach maturity on their own, but the grafted plants are typical rather tall growing, compared with plants on their own roots, that are usually very flat to the ground.